January 7, 2026. 11 AM.
Meanwhile, somewhere far away from Germany. In the United States of America, Chicago, along a quiet alley, an hour before the news of the jail break of Stuttgart.
"How many men have you collected till now, Luke?"
A tall man, from the shadows of the alley, asked the same person who last interacted with Ashnir, with a soothing yet ponderous tone.
"Five, and three more are on their way, sir."
He said as he gulped with a dry throat.
"So just eight, how many men have I asked you to gather, and why aren't you bowing down, Luke?"
The man asked him, as he slammed his fist onto a wall.
"I am sorry mast-"
CLACK
As Luke began to bow down in front of him, he was kicked in the face by the tall man.
"Don't get ahead of yourself. I better see fifteen men by January 20th, present in front of me". He said while pressing his face onto the ground with his feet. "That is the last deadline i can provide to you, now get off my face!"
"Y-yes, master!" He said looking up to him, with folded hands. "I am grateful for your extension of the deadline!"
"Go. I said!"
He said as he walked away from Luke.
"I have to get those three under me somehow, I know someone who can do it just in time."
Luke said as he took out his device to call someone.
Somewhere, in a dark and cold, unlighted dorm room, Chicago.
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo!
PLINK!
"I was kind of busy, what do you want?"
"You are on" Luke said in a calm demeanor. "To Stuttgart, Germany, right now."
Be-boop!
"Always putting me on the most tedious work, guess i will take my leave."
The person said as he illuminated the room with his fingers, something that can only be done by no other than Ashnir himself.
The pieces fall back together into the present where Noir lives, in the city of Eisenberg, Germany.
"Who even is this guy?" Noir said as he immediately rushed outside. "He looks strong…"
"Oh? Have we met before? "
The intimidating person wearing a jacket on top of all black attire looked at Noir, like he had grabbed his attention a little too much.
"No, we have not, now if i may as-"
Noir was attacked before he could even finish his sentence, barely managing to block it.
"Hmph, I missed it seems."
Lukas jumped back as he spoke in disappointment.
"Fast! Wait a second, could he be?!"
Noir whispered within himself, trying to connect the dots to figure out the aggressor's true identity.
"Lukas… Brandt…?"
As he took a step back, he noticed the black jacket, formal wear, white ethnicity and a very distinctive tall height. The words slipped out of his lips before he could even finish thinking.
"So you do know me. Too bad for you though, I don't." Lukas said as he took stance to charge forward. "There's no need for me to get to know a soon-to-be-dead man, afterall!"
"He really thinks he can kill me. Why did he even come to Eisenberg in the first place?"
Noir thought to himself as he took a defensive stance, preparing for the coming strike from Lukas.
"And when I am done with you, I will tear this place apart and have some fun!"
He said as he lept towards Noir with extreme force and speed.
"Have some fun…? He is an offender too. AI can't let him go anymore. I will injure him just enough to keep him in captivity."
As Noir kept evading Lukas' strikes, he told his own self, citing the danger if Lukas was to be left unchecked.
"Noir…?"
Noir's mother came out of the house, sweating heavily as she looked at him with intensity in her eyes and immense worry.
"MOM?" Noir screamed at her "PLEASE GO BACK INSIDE IT'S NOT SAF-"
"That is your mother? Perhaps after I am done with you…"
Lukas let out a disgusting and ferocious smile, in an attempt to provoke him.
"You… disgusting creature… I will end you right now."
He snapped at Lukas, landing a heavy blow on his chest sending him to a far away wall.
"Interesting… No wonder he was dodging my attacks this well, but he won't be able to keep that power to himself soon enough."
Lukas said as he got back up, preparing for another clash with Noir, as he saw Noir closing in distance by merely walking towards him.
"Begone… Warhammer."
"WHE-"
A sickening, sharp CRIK echoed, instantly followed by a wet, sucking sound as blood filled the space between the broken edges.
Lukas's right arm was gone from the shoulder bones itself, crushed to nothingness. Before he could even assess Noir's speed, he was already in the air coming down on Lukas bringin upon a devastating force onto him.
"I will end you now, Hammer of libera-"
"Stop."
Noir was stopped at the last moment of his decisive blow, his hands being pulled back by something.
"That is enough. I will be taking him. Get aside, Mister."
Noir looked back, tracing the smoky voice which felt too calm to be of a criminal's. It was a very tall man, well above that of an average person with brown eyes, hair swaying like silk clothes. He wore a mask, yet he seemed prettier than the most people with far more beautiful faces.
"Who are you, and why are you trying to save a criminal of this calibre?"
Noir asked in pure nervousness, completely astonished by the fact that someone is capable of stopping his attack from the back.
"Please, step aside."
He said while pushing Noir away, taking Lukas on his shoulders.
"This guy…"
Noir thought to himself as he stepped aside, knowing this is an enemy he just can't yet defeat.
"2 more, they are very close, and along them there's another, I need to get them fast before any mishap."
Exactly 5 minutes ago, within 20 minutes of walking distance from Noir's home.
"So, what was the point of teaming up on me?"
Adrien asked the two men lying down on the ground, covered in blood.
"You two must be Dunkler and Erik. Now if you guys may answer why did you come here all the way from Stuttgart, I might give you a painless death."
Adrien said with a nerve-wacking tone, looking down on both of them.
"Call… Luke, Erik"
Dunkler said with a breaking voice, unable to move even a mere muscle.
"Please step aside, I have come to retrieve them."
Adrien had a voice behind him, that exact same tone Noir heard some minutes ago.
"Oh?" Adrien said looking back. "And who are you supposed to be? Their ring leader?"
Adrien said in a taunting manner, as he fixated his gaze upon him.
"I will not say it again, step aside."
End of chapter 13